A variety of different fishing reels of different sizes and configurations are used for different fishing environments and species. Storage and display of fishing reels for use and sale can be facilitated by a rack system to which the reels can readily be attached and removed. Since all fishing reels have reel foot which is inserted into the reel seat of a fishing rod, it makes sense to use the reel foot in connecting the reel to a storage/display rack. Since fishing reels have a range of widths, weights and separations between the reel foot and the reel itself, an effective rack system needs to be scalable to accommodate various types of reels. Moreover, the rack system should be adaptable for mounting in either a horizontal or a vertical orientation, depending on the configuration of the available support structures.